Cooling of Personal Computers and Other Apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for removing unwanted heat generated by apparatus such as personal computer systems and other appliances. The apparatus comprising a thermally conductive surface to which heat from heat-generating components is communicated via a heat transmitting means such as a heatpipe. The apparatus can then be cooled by contacting cooling apparatus to the thermally conductive surface. Also described are liquid cooling apparatus suitable for contacting to apparatus having thermally conductive surfaces and a method for cooling a plurality of computer systems.

BACKGROUND

Personal computers and other electronic devices exhaust unwanted heat as hot air into offices and homes. This unwanted heat raises the temperature of the office or home and can require any HVAC system to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature.

In a personal computer, the majority of unwanted heat is generated by just a few components. Today a mid-range consumer CPU can generate just over 70W of heat and a top-end CPU can generate nearly double this, additional components such as graphics cards and compute cards can also generate significant unwanted heat, with a high-end graphics card generating up to 300W of unwanted heat alone.

The majority of computers remove this unwanted heat from inside the enclosure by means of heatsinks and fans which exhaust unwanted heat into the surrounding air. Alternative cooling means such as direct liquid cooling which are found in some computer systems typically use a radiator and fan within the computer to exhaust unwanted heat into the surrounding air.

SUMMARY

By managing the unwanted heat generated by personal computers and other equipment, cooling costs of offices and homes can be reduced and energy efficiency improved. Described are methods and apparatus which can be used to accomplish this goal.

These methods and apparatus can be used to reduce the amount of unwanted heat exhausted as hot air by apparatus without requiring that apparatus are installed into a larger enclosure to facilitate cooling. Amongst the potential benefits of the described apparatus is that unwanted heat can be removed in a form which can then be transported to either be dissipated or used to do useful work, for example heating hot water or other rooms.

One apparatus described uses a heat transmitting means in the form of a heatpipe to communicate heat from a heat-generating component within an electronics apparatus to a thermally conductive surface, the thermally conductive surface disposed such that is can be contacted by a counterpart surface belonging to an external apparatus. External apparatus can then be contacted to the thermally conductive surface to enable thermal communication between heat-generating components of the apparatus and the external apparatus.

Another described apparatus provides a counterpart surface suitable to be contacted to equipment having a thermally conductive surface, the apparatus enabling the removal of unwanted heat to a liquid medium which can then be transported for dissipation or to be used in a useful manner.

The apparatus is then described in use in the context of an office environment, unwanted heat from a plurality of computer systems is removed by liquid cooling apparatus and transported to be dissipated by a radiator or similar cooling means.

Amongst the advantages of the described apparatus is the ability to remove unwanted heat generated by apparatus efficiently whilst enjoying the freedom to cool apparatus using any cooling technology, the only requirement being that cooling apparatus can be configured to be contacted to and remove heat from a thermally conductive surface on the apparatus. This allows for the use of cooling which is better suited to the kind of environment the apparatus is operating in.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows a computer system comprising a thermally conductive surface which is contactable by cooling apparatus;

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the computer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a liquid cooled apparatus in contact with a thermally conductive surface similar to that of the computer system in FIG. 1, and;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a cooling loop comprising a radiator and a plurality of computer systems.

DESCRIPTION

It is intended that the following description and claims should be interpreted in accordance with Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged unless otherwise indicated.

In the following specification and claims a “heat transmitting means” is intended to encompass heatpipes, vapor chambers, thermosyphons, thermal interface materials and thermally conductive materials, composites, manufactures and apparatus such as: thermally conductive metals examples of which include copper, aluminum, beryllium, silver, gold, nickel and alloys thereof; thermally conductive non-metallic materials examples of which include diamond, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite and combinations thereof; composite materials and manufactures examples of which include graphite fiber/copper matrix composites and encapsulated graphite systems, and; apparatus such as liquid circulation, heat pumps and heat exchangers. A “heat transmitting means” is further intended to encompass any means presently existing or that is discovered in the future which transmits heat from one place to another.

FIG. 1 shows a view of a personal computer system 100 of a type which is frequently found in homes and offices and can be operated without requiring installation into a specifically designed enclosure. The computer system 100 comprises an enclosure 110 and motherboard 120 with various heat generating components including CPU 122, chipset component 124 and power regulation components 126 which are thermally connected via a heat transmitting means to a thermally conductive plate 104.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the computer system 100, and FIG. 3 shows a view of the thermally conductive plate 104 with the computer system 100 removed. The thermally conductive plate 104 has a surface 102, the thermally conductive surface, which is configured to be contactable by external apparatus. The thermally conductive surface 102 provides a location to which heat from one or more heat-generating components can be communicated to in order to then be communicated to external apparatus.

The plate 104 is made of a thermally conductive material such as copper or aluminum, however other thermally conductive materials may be used. The thermally conductive surface 102 may be a feature of an enclosure rather than a separate component or it may be an integrated part of a heat transmitting means which is thermally connected to a heat-generating component, it is not required that the thermally conductive surface 102 is part of a component whose only purpose is to perform that task. Alternatives to the plate 104 of thermally conductive material include using a vapor chamber of a similar size and form, this may improve heat conduction between the various components.

Whilst shown as a flat surface, the surface form of the thermally conductive surface 102 is not required to be flat and additional forms which may offer advantages such as a higher contactable surface area are possible, an advantage of the flat surface is that this simplifies manufacturing and enables a simple, yet versatile surface to which to contact external apparatus and to which thermal interface materials can be applied. The thermally conductive surface 102 may also have optional fastening means such as threaded holes, clips, latches or other fastening means to allow the counterpart surface of an external apparatus to be fastened to and to create a good thermal connection between the parts.

The CPU 122 is thermally connected to the thermally conductive surface 102 via a plurality of heatpipes 132, each heatpipe is connected to a surface of the plate 104 and the CPU 122 such that heat generated by the CPU 122 is communicated to the plate 104 and thus the thermally conductive surface 102. Similarly chipset component 124 is thermally connected to the thermal conductive surface 102 via a heatpipe 134 and heat spreader 135 and the power regulation components 126 are thermally connected to the thermally conductive surface 102 via heatpipe 136 and heat spreader 137.

The computer system 100 further comprises apparatus for communicating heat from the expansion circuit board 150, this comprises a manifold thermal connector 128 which is thermally connected via heatpipes 138 to the thermally conductive surface 102. Manifold thermal connectors of this type and associated apparatus are described further in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/465,160 entitled “Cooled Part for Expansion Circuit Board Cooling” and Ser. No. 13/465,053 entitled “Expansion Circuit Board Cooling”.

Whilst a heat transmitting means in the form of a heatpipe is exemplified in the computer system 100 described, other heat transmitting means can be used to accomplish the goal of communicating heat from a heat-generating component to the thermally conductive surface. Further, the computer system 100 shows a variety of components which are thermally connected to the thermally conductive surface 102, these are just a few possible components which can be connected to the thermally conductive surface 102 and it is not intended that embodiments are limited to, or require, heat-generating components of the type described.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the thermally conductive surface 102 is shown with fastening means in the form of four threaded holes 106. The enclosure 110 has an aperture through which the thermally conductive surface 102 can be contacted by external apparatus. The location and configuration of the thermally conductive surface 102 is such that it is contactable by a counterpart surface of an external apparatus and it is not required that the computer system has an enclosure upon which to locate the thermally conductive surface 102, or that the thermally conductive surface 102 is positioned as shown.

FIG. 2 also shows an exploded view of an apparatus 200 contacting the thermally conductive surface 102 and an exploded view of apparatus 200 contacting the thermally conductive surface 102 with the computer system removed is shown in FIG. 3. The apparatus 200 is part of a liquid cooling assembly and illustrates one possible way to cool the computer system 100 via the thermally conductive surface 102. When contacted to the thermally conductive surface 102 the apparatus 200 provides cooling for the computer system 100 by passing a liquid coolant, flowing through tubing 204, through channels in the apparatus 200.

FIG. 2 illustrates some of the benefits of apparatus having a thermal conductive surface as described, here the computer system 100 receives the advantages of liquid cooling whilst enjoying a reduced risk of damage from leakage caused by coolant being brought inside the case. The computer system 100 is also easily disconnected from the cooling apparatus 200 by simply detaching the cooling apparatus 200 from the thermally conductive surface 102, this allows cooling to be maintained for other systems which share the same coolant circulation by not having to stop coolant flow in order to remove or replace a single computer system.

Whilst the embodiment described is a personal computer system it is expected that described features can be useful to a variety of other equipment which generate unwanted heat. This includes, but is not limited to, display devices, printers, audio systems and other electronic equipment including appliances such as fridges and freezers.

Many modern office buildings are designed with services such as power and telecommunications delivered to a plurality of locations where they offer easy access for connection. In a similar way liquid coolant can be circulated to locations where it can be used to cool apparatus having thermally conductive surfaces.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a cooling loop which cools a plurality of computer systems, liquid coolant is circulated by a pump through apparatus similar to that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which is contacted to a thermally conductive surface of a computer system. Unwanted heat is removed by the liquid coolant and transported to a radiator where it can be dissipated before re-entering the pump.

The addition of a thermally conductive surface to apparatus enables apparatus to be cooled by any cooling technology which can be brought into contact with that surface, therefore it is not intended that cooling apparatus are limited to the liquid cooling means described above. Examples of other possible cooling technologies which can be brought into contact with the thermally conductive surface of an apparatus include, but are not limited to, air cooled apparatus, refrigeration apparatus, thermoelectric devices and any other cooling technology which currently exists or may be invented in the future.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements that can be devised in application of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specified function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C.§112, ¶6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C§112, ¶6. 

What I claim is:
 1. An apparatus comprising a thermally conductive surface configured to be contactable by an external apparatus for the purpose of communicating heat between at least one heat-generating component of the apparatus and the external apparatus, the apparatus not requiring installation into an enclosure designed to receive the apparatus for the purpose of making contact with the thermally conductive surface.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is electronic.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a computer system.
 4. Non-portable apparatus comprising: (a) a heat-generating component; (b) a heat-transmitting means, and; (c) a thermally conductive surface, the thermally conductive surface disposed in such a way as to be contactable by a counterpart surface of an external apparatus, the thermally conductive surface being thermally connected to the heat-generating component by the heat-transmitting means, the apparatus not requiring installation into an enclosure designed to receive the apparatus for the purpose of making contact with the thermally conductive surface.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus is an electronics apparatus.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the heat-generating component is an integrated circuit.
 7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus is an appliance.
 8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus is a computer system.
 9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the apparatus is a personal computer.
 10. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the heat-transmitting means is a heatpipe.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the apparatus is a personal computer.
 12. A method of removing unwanted heat from an apparatus, the method comprising contacting an external cooling apparatus to a thermally conductive surface of the apparatus without requiring the installation of the apparatus into an enclosure.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the apparatus is installed in an office, home or retail environment.
 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the cooling apparatus cools the thermally conductive surface by communicating heat between the thermally conductive surface and a liquid medium.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the apparatus is electronic.
 16. A method of enabling the removal of unwanted heat from non-portable apparatus, the method comprising: (a) enabling heat communication between a heat-generating component of the apparatus and a thermally conductive surface of the apparatus, and; (b) disposing the thermally conductive surface in such a way as to be contactable by a surface of an external apparatus without requiring installing the apparatus into an enclosure.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the apparatus is electronic.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the apparatus is a computer system.
 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the apparatus is intended for installation in an office, home or retail environment.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the apparatus is a personal computer. 